Mahela Jayawardene, the elegant run-machine, to bid adieu to Tests

ColomboTest cricket will bid farewell to one of its most elegant strokemakers when Sri Lankas Mahela Jayawardene quits the longer format after the second Test against Pakistan starting in Colombo ThursdayFew cricketers have exemplified the spirit of the game better than the gentlemanly 37yearold even though his pleasant demeanour hides nerves of steel a calculating streetsmart mind and an obsessive drive for perfectionMahela Jayawardene walks on to bat during the third Test at Galle Pic AFPThe elegant righthander retired from Twenty20 internationals after Sri Lankas titlewinning campaign in the World T20 in April but still hopes to compete in next years oneday World Cup Down UnderJayawardene is one of only five batsmen to score more than 11000 runs in both Test and oneday cricket the others being Sachin Tendulkar Ricky Ponting Jacques Kallis and teammate Kumar Sangakkara An average of 5002 over 148 Tests with 34 centuries illustrates his hunger for runs through a 17yearcareerAlthough his form outside Asia has been inconsistent he has set a deluge of records at home He scored a monumental 374 during a world record partnership of 624 with Sangakkara 287 against a South African attack that included Dale Steyn and Makhya Ntini on his home ground at the Sinhalese Sports Club SSC in Colombo in 2006Jayawardene looked set to surpass Brian Laras record of 400 when he was bowled against the run of play Ever the teammate he preferred to rejoice in his teams huge win by an innings and 153 runs He got a taste of big scores on his Test debut itself as a 20yearold in 1997 when Sri Lanka piled up a world record total of 9526 declared against India at the Premadasa stadium in ColomboSlated to bat at number six the young Jayawardene saw Sanath Jayasuriya make 340 supported by Roshan Mahanama 225 before himself scoring 66 Jayawardenes farewell Test was originally scheduled to be played at the P Sara Oval in Colombo before thoughtful officials accepted a request to move it to the SSC His 2863 runs in 26 Tests at the SSC are the most by any batsman at a single ground marked by an average of 7737 with 11 centuries and eight 50sLast month against Hashim Amlas South African team Jayawardene showed his skills had not diminished as he once again revelled in the serene surroundings of the SSC to make a fluent 165 He bid farewell to another happy hunting ground in Galle on Sunday by making 59 in the first innings and 26 in the unfamiliar role of an opener in the second as Sri Lanka beat fading light and approaching rain to chase down a target of 99 with 42 overs to spare against Pakistan My job is done Jayawardene admitted it was not an easy decision to retire It has been a great privilege and honour representing my country during the past 17 years he said But I believe this is the right time The younger players in the side are doing well and Angelo Mathews has settled in as captain My job is doneA prolific slipcatcher Jayawardenes 202 catches are second only to Indias Rahul Dravid and his record tally of 210 by a fielder other than a wicketkeeper Jayawardene was also an astute captain who took Sri Lanka to the World Cup final in 2007 He quit the post in 2009 but continued to play under Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan before he took on the job again in 2012 for a year as Mathews was groomedOff the field Jayawardene is the coowner with Sangakkara of an upmarket fish restaurant in Colombo Sangakkara said his good friend will be hard to replaceNot just me but the cricket world Sri Lankan fans and our whole team will feel the loss of a great player like Mahela Sangakkara said It will take a long time to fill that void Hes always been the ultimate team man Everyone in the dressing room respects and admires his honesty integrity commitment inner strength and great strategic vision